Taking Care of Aging Skin with Diane Young

Skincare and beauty consultant Diane Young will discuss
how to take care and improve your skin.

The opinions expressed herein are the guests' alone and have not been
reviewed by a WebMD physician. If you have questions about your health, you
should consult your personal physician. This event is meant for informational
purposes only.

Moderator: Welcome to WebMD Live. Today we will be discussing
"Taking Care of Aging Skin" with Diane Young.

Diane Young pioneered the concept of holistic beauty. In 1982, when she opened her skin care salon in New York City, she was the first salon in the country to combine beauty treatments and products with the services of a nutritionist,
dermatologist, and plastic surgeon. She believed then, as she does now, that to improve skin it must be cared for on the
inside, as well as the outside. She studied advanced skin care at the Bretlands Beauty Institute at Royal Turnbridge in Wells, England, attended the Christian Chauveau Makeup Institute in Paris, France, and completed the Elizabeth Jones Aromatherapy Program in Vienna, Austria. She has been named by Harper's Bazaar Magazine as one of the four top beauty experts in the world, and by a leading trade publication as a Living Legend in Skin Care. She has appeared on many top television
shows, including the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Diane, welcome to WebMD Live.

What is the difference between normal aging of the skin and premature aging of the skin?

Dr. Young: The difference between them is light exposure. Photo-aging speeds up the hands of the aging clock. In terms of skin, you see sun damage, lines and wrinkles, uneven
pigmentation and age spots. You see a dried out, leathery surface; these are the
basic signs of aging. It's imperative, like brushing your teeth everyday, that
you wear sun protection, minimum SPF 15. If you have sun damage, there are ways
you can improve the way your skin looks and feels. Even in a blowing snow storm,
you are receiving photo-damage to your skin. All light speeds up the biological
aging of the skin.

What can we do if we've already experienced photo aging? Number one: moisturize every
day and apply your sunscreen. You can use formulas that contain different vitamin combinations such as Vitamins A, C, and
E. Various technologies have clinical studies that show the ability to make the skin appear younger. If you have uneven skin
pigmentation, you need a product that contains at least 4% hydroquinone. It will help rid the brown spots and even-out the pigmentation.
It's been around a long time, but only recently we've been using it to rid unwanted pigmentation.
It's also important to exfoliate on a regular basis. You can use fruit acids, enzymes, vitamins.

There are also mechanical, old-fashioned ways; like beauty grains, but we really prefer these new technologies because they are less aggressive. Another example of a mechanical form is a loofah or body brush, appropriate for your body but not your face.

It's important because as you age, dead cells accumulate. Find a form of exfoliation that works for you and use it once a week.

Protective clothing is important; hats and long-sleeved shirts should also be part of your sun protection program.
The best protection there is is to stay indoors, especially between 10:00 am and
2:00 pm.

Moderator: What is the role of oxygen in the aging process?

Dr. Young: Oxygen. There's two things;
aging of the body and aging of the skin. Let's talk about skin. We have something called a free
radical, an unattached oxygen molecule, that when it comes in contact with our skin, can cause problems. We need to neutralize it before it causes damage. We neutralize by using anti-oxidant
ingredients. For example, vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C are antioxidants that would neutralize this free radical before it had a chance to damage our skin. Internally, these free radicals are released many different ways to cause the same problem internally. Our body can deal with them, but when
it is overwhelmed with them, it cannot keep up the job. It's important not to overwhelm our systems with free radicals, like smoking.

Moderator: What are some of the negative effects of free radicals on the skin?

Dr. Young: The major effect is that they cause irritation. The major free radical people experience is pollution. It causes the skin to look
dull. In a lot of people who are sensitive, it irritates the skin.